Phoenix Park Motor Races 14/15 August 2010

[eamonn ledwidge]

This event is the 80st Anniversary Meeting of the 2nd Irish International Grand Prix 1930, winner Rudolf Caracciola, Mercedes Benz SSK.

Irish Racing Classes invited are: Formula Libre, Uno Punto, Abarth, Historics, Porsche, Libre Saloons, Strykers, F Vees and Saloon Libre - spaces available for saloons and sports/sportsracing cars also.

Event format will be, practice and 2 races of duration 20/25/30 mins - TBC. Entry fee is set at €500 per car. Grid size: single seaters 26, closed wheel 30.

We are again anxious to secure visiting entries from the following:
Historic F2/Atlantic/F5000/Classic F3/FJuniors/Classic F Ford/FF2000.

In 2009 we ran a very successful pursuit sprint for Pre-war and Pre55 cars. We are are keen to attract more cars in these classes and would like to hear from UK based owners interested in racing at Phoenix Park.

**Very attractive ferry and hotel discount deals are in place for the event.

Negotiations are well under way now with the Office of Public Works on the event safety plan and revised surfacing at Mountjoy roundabout.

Race Paddock will be located in the grounds of Farmleigh and are greatly extended from last year. The property consists of some 78 acres and is approached via a private road, off Ordnance Survey Road within the Park.

Parking: hard standing for 600 cars, dedicated trailer area, reinforced hard standing area for transporters/HGV. Water, power, CCTV and dedicated security arrangements in place.

Restaurant and cafe facilities.

Website: www.farmleigh.ie

This paddock arrangement will greatly enhance the event, particularly in respect of ease of entry/exit for competitors. It also eliminates the problems of parking on grass. We are most grateful to our main sponsor, The Office of Public Works, who control and manage Phoenix Park and also the Farmleigh management for extending this facility to us for the 80th Anniversary event.

It is intended to televise the meeting on terrestrial and satellite channels.

*Regular progress updates will be available on the Phoenix Park website: www.phoenixparkmotorraces.eu and also here on Ten Tenths.

[MagnetON]

I'm looking forward to it this year, I had a blast up at Mountjoy last year. Now if we can only persuade the race committee to get rid of the chicane

[blackfalcon]

No need, there's always a racer prepared to do that job for you

[MagnetON]

Originally Posted by blackfalcon

No need, there's always a racer prepared to do that job for you

And a snapper mooching around the marshals post laughing as they work and trying to rob sandwiches!

[markh]

Is this event still a runner? The surface on the main straight is in bits and probably only suitable for racing tracked vehicles at this stage :-(

Also, what's the plan for the roundabout at Mountjoy? It's hard enough to navigate in the road car, there's no way you could get a single-seater around it.


Mark

[F.O.F.]

Originally Posted by markh

Also, what's the plan for the roundabout at Mountjoy? It's hard enough to navigate in the road car, there's no way you could get a single-seater around it.

This question has been bugging me recently, the roundabout is tighter than any turn in a multi-storey car park.

Thanks for the info Eamonn, and good luck with the preparations, I can't wait!

[MagnetON]

Originally Posted by markh

Also, what's the plan for the roundabout at Mountjoy? It's hard enough to navigate in the road car, there's no way you could get a single-seater around it.

I believe the plan is to put in more tarmac to create the corner "before" the roundabout and to have that tarmac kerbed off for during the year and remove the kerbing for race weekend.

Crude attempt shown below, the red would be new / temporary tarmac.

[class1comp]

I spotted this on RTE (Irish television) website

RTE Story 22 July 2010 12:06

So anybody dithering about entering contact the organisors NOW or we will lose this great event.

I entered last year but have not entered anything this year for financial reasons and I can understand other people having financial difficulties in the current climate.

But if you have a car and entry fee lying around, do enter

[class1comp]

Motorsport Ireland Press Release

PHOENIX PARK MOTOR RACES 14/15th. AUGUST 2010

It is with sincere regret that Motorsport Ireland announces that this year’s racing event in the Phoenix Park is cancelled.

The funds required to build the circuit and run the event are a fine balance between Sponsorship and Competitor Entry Fees and, unfortunately, in the current economic environment, both elements have failed to generate sufficient income for the event to be viable.

Motorsport Ireland wishes to thank the Office of Public Works, National Historic Properties and the management of Farmleigh, for all the assistance and support given towards the running of this year’s event.

Sincere thanks also to those sponsors and competitors who were committed, and to all of the volunteers who were ready for this year’s event and without whom it would never run.

Hopefully 2011 will happen and my finances are in better order so I can compete

[MagnetON]

Originally Posted by jimhardy

I hate when it comes to conditions like “lack of entries”. It really disappoints me when some unique sporting event being cancelled with such circumstances.

Lack of entries = lack of funding, it's unfortunate that this is the economy we are living in. With the Park being a non-championship round I'm sure there's plenty that took a look at their purses and decided to keep the money for a championship round instead.

[F.O.F.]

That's pretty much it, it was supposed to be sandwiched between two championship rounds and that was always going to cause problems with the economy the way it is. Anyway, by all accounts there's a dedicated team working on keeping the event alive and I'd be confident of seeing a good event next year.

[MagnetON]

It's strange that the cancellation of The Park led to possibly the most fun EP and I have had at a racing event in years!